When Do You Spay/Neuter or Do You Not Spay/Neuter?

[Pepper311]

I found a great read on this topic.

Canine Sports Productions: Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete

[Jessiewessie99]

Originally Posted by iBaman

Same. On most occasions, I can tell the difference. Muscles shouldn't always mean manly =P

Yep. The American Pitbull Terrier is supposed to be a medium sized lean and muscular breed.

[mjbgsd]

I neutuered Cody at 8 months and Isa around 14m?. When I got Akbar I had mixed feelings. Cody was N too young and so forth has had the look of a female since and Isa had perfect heats, never messy and always cleaned herself but I decided to have her spayed anyways. After some debating I had decided that I don't need to N Akbar ever unless he gets testicular cancer. It's just natural to keep him intact.

[BrandiB]

Originally Posted by Kittilicious

I had a Pomeranian that was neutered at 8 months and his marking in the house, outside the house, on beach towels/coolers at the lake, ever car tire, tree, telephone pole, flower... need I go on? He drove me NUTS! I told my hubby that obviously fixing a male doesn't cure that!

I hate to hear that. I have a 2 year old Pom that is marking like crazy. I think we are going to try getting him neutered anyways though. I hope it works on him!

[msvette2u]

After age 2 it might not fix that, but it cannot hurt

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by Pepper311

I found a great read on this topic.

Canine Sports Productions: Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete

That study is fairly inaccurate.

Here's the explanation and rebuttal.
http://www.columbusdogconnection.com...ebuttal%20.pdf

[Draugr]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

That study is fairly inaccurate.

Here's the explanation and rebuttal.
http://www.columbusdogconnection.com...ebuttal%20.pdf

This rebuttal is more than fairly inaccurate.

Here is my assessment, a couple specific points, and a few links so you can see what kind of person wrote that rebuttal.

Best age to spay or neuter?

Hint, they are not exactly an objective source of information. She is a huge advocate for the long term safety of pediatric speuters - something veterinary science is showing more and more each day is really not the case at all. I wouldn't exactly call it "unsafe" but it certainly isn't safer in a relative sense. People like her just need to stick to the real facts - that it can help reduce shelter euthanasia rates when used on at-risk populations of animals.

Kind of hard to trust anything she says with such major glaring flaws in an article she wrote that is attempting to "set the facts straight" and is riddled with broad, sweeping, often inaccurate generalizations.

ETA: And that's not to the defense of Dr. Zink's article, which, as far as I'm concerned, is almost equally invalid.

[Pandora]

I haven't read through all these many posts, but did view the results of the poll. As a 65 yr. old who has had many dogs throughout my life, most of them rescues, I just want to put in my two cents.
Sparing your dog the turbulence and turmoil of integrating hormones is a great kindness. "Fixing" your dog so he/she cannot breed and does not think about breeding allows your dog to focus on being your companion, on being a good dog, on other activities like guarding your home, your livestock, your garden, being an assistant, learning new things daily. Being spayed and neutered FREES your dog, helps your dog stay healthier, saves you much anxiety and concern.
A male dog separated from his testicles does not become a useless wimp. On the contrary, he becomes a better companion, more trustworthy and reliable.

[gsdlover91]

I plan on neutering my pup between 6-12 months old. He is just about 7 months old now.

[Lady Jenna]

Here's my two cents, and take it for what it is; just my opinion. For those who emphatically refuse to neuter your males, have you ever considered that unaltered dogs like yours are the reason there are so many GSD crosses? Can you guarantee that your dog will never cause an unwanted litter? I'm not saying don't wait until they are mature; I'm saying be responsible. If you don't plan to breed, why keep them intact?